Uganda Country Analysis

ICRW Africa Regional Office, Kampala, Uganda

Kate Albers, Lilianne Bidou, Lauren Purnell, Sam Williford  

 

 

 

                                                                                 

 

Overview of Project  

As part of a long running relationship between the International Center for

Research on Women (ICRW) and the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced

International Studies (SAIS), a team of four graduate students from the

International Development program conducted a 2nd year Practicum in

collaboration with the Director of the newly established Africa Regional Office of

ICRW in Kampala, Uganda.

The team conducted two weeks of field work in January, 2017. During this time,

the team met with representatives of potential project partners as well as important

actors in the international development field in Uganda. ICRW was interested in

exploring potential opportunities and entry points around which to build its initial

projects and also seeking guidance on sectors in which ICRW has not traditionally

conducted research.

This report is a culmination of that field work. The final analysis incorporates desk

research and meetings with sector experts in Washington, DC in order to shine a

light on possible implications for ICRW’s expansion in the region as well as

recommendations and strategies for the office moving forward.

 

Table of Contents

1.   Executive Summary …………… 1

2.   Development in Transition …………… 4

3.   Northern Uganda …………… 12

4.   Government Priorities …………… 18

5.   Private Sector …………… 24

6.   Remittances …………… 31

7.   Women and Political Participation …………… 37

8.   Summary of Implications …………… 44

Bibliography …………… 46

Annex …………… 50

 

  1  

Executive

Summary

The Johns Hopkins University SAIS team’s trip to Kampala, Uganda in support of

the opening of ICRW’s new Africa Regional Office yielded helpful information

regarding potential partnerships and the general context for development and

gender work in Uganda. ICRW requested in-depth analyses and an outside

perspective in order to develop a positioning strategy for the new office.

Entry Points and Local Context

Changing laws in Uganda have made NGO operations subject to much closer

government scrutiny. It will be important for ICRW to be diligent in its record

keeping and licenses in order to make sure that the organization does not run afoul

of the law. This will be especially important in the short term as the office begins to

build up both its portfolio and its credibility within the country and region.

Communication strategies will be key to establishing credibility of the organization,

especially in the short term. ICRW should seek to look beyond the traditional NGO

ecosystem when forming its portfolio by building relationships with local NGOs and

civil society. The Africa Regional Office should also leverage its position as a new

entrant to Uganda to improve coordination and communication among projects by

organizing working groups and joining existing coalitions as well.

Much of the current development cooperation focus is on the Northern and North-

Eastern regions of Uganda. Ravaged by decades of conflict, underinvestment, and

political isolation, many of the NGOs we spoke to focused on these underserved

areas, namely Karamoja. This is a region that presents many opportunities for

possible collaboration in the future. Specifically, countering Sexual and Gender

Based Violence (SGBV) was noted as being particularly important to several

organizations. This is an ideal entry point for ICRW to leverage its expertise and

create new partnerships.

01  

 

  2  

As Uganda’s economy begins to grow and linkages within the East African

Community strengthen, the private sector will play a greater role in the development

of the country. With fair trade rules and other private certification standards gaining

importance in the export industry, ICRW can look to support companies in

mainstreaming gender policies in their workplaces and social enterprises in

measuring their impact. Additionally, working with international corporations to

strengthen their gender mainstreaming will allow ICRW to demonstrate real benefits

to their clients that could lead to more opportunities moving forward.

Several other themes such as women’s political participation, remittances, and the

effect of climate change in North-Eastern Uganda are also covered in the full

report.

Partnership Opportunities

A primary goal of this project was to find possible partnerships that align with

ICRW’s mission and research agenda. We have included profiles from a number of

the organizations with whom we spoke and have assigned them ratings based on

their influence in the development field in Uganda and interest in working with

ICRW. These are included as an annex to this report. The most promising potential

partnerships that we have identified are: The Hunger Project, PACE, and Oxfam

Uganda.

The Hunger Project

The Hunger Project has a unique model and funding platform compared to most of

the other organizations we interviewed. Working from a holistic, community-driven

development foundation, The Hunger Project makes long term investments in

communities. The Hunger Project generally does not seek large donor grants from

agencies such as USAID or DFID. Their platform and mission alignment could be

leveraged by ICRW to conduct important research in the areas of women’s

economic empowerment, child marriage, and gender based violence.

PACE

PACE’s enthusiasm about integrating gender in their programming came out loud

and clear during our interview. The health-oriented NGO, part of the PSI network,

demonstrated an eagerness to mainstream gender and a frankness towards their

own lack of capacity in relation to gender integration. This would be an ideal

 

  3  

relationship for ICRW to pursue for its sexual health and reproductive rights

research portfolio.

Oxfam Uganda

Oxfam Uganda presents a fruitful partnership opportunity for ICRW. Oxfam

Uganda’s mission alignment and project portfolio significantly overlap with that of

ICRW’s. Gender is a cross-cutting element to all of the programs that Oxfam

implements. Oxfam Uganda generally conducts its own monitoring and evaluation,

but it has in the past partnered with research organizations and representatives

were very interested in the notion of helping to create a working group to that

effect.

Establishing these connections on the ground with both local and international

organizations will aid in building ICRW’s reputation within Uganda and will prove

vital to their success in the region.

 

  4  

 

Recent years and months have brought forth new dynamics to the world of

development cooperation. There are a number of external factors relevant to ICRW

that need to be considered in a broader context in order for ICRW to best position

its new office in Kampala, Uganda. As uncertainty rises the development

ecosystem ICRW will need to be able to nimbly navigate itself to a niche that fulfills

both its mission and benefits its partners.

Development

in Transition 02  

 

  5  

Changing Priorities and Politics

The year 2016 will be remembered around the world for its ground shaking

electoral results. An unexpected victory in the U.S. Presidential election and the

affirmation of the Leave campaign in the United Kingdom were concrete

expressions of a more protectionist populace in the two largest donors of foreign

aid. It is always said that elections have consequences and the tremors are still

reverberating throughout the development world.

The Trump Administration and Foreign Assistance

This new political paradigm is affecting the future of development cooperation and

foreign assistance from the US Government. Cuts are expected at USAID and other

American development agencies as the most recent White House budget proposal

called for a reduction of nearly a third of the foreign assistance budget.1 Although

the American budget for foreign assistance is a little less than 4% of federal

discretionary spending2, the American public holds an incorrect perception that it

counts for as much as a quarter of every dollar spent by the federal government.3 It

is true that 60 votes are generally necessary in the Senate for any such budget to

be approved, Senate leadership could always circumvent this legislative filibuster in

the same way that they did for Judge Gorsuch’s confirmation.4 Regardless, the

executive branch wields enormous power in setting foreign aid agendas. President

Obama’s initiative Feed the future was established in 2010 to help stabilize the

world food system and did not receive formal congressional approval and oversight

until 2016.5

Brexit

The situation is not so clear in the United Kingdom, where Theresa May’s time as

Prime Minister has sent mixed signals to the global community. Although invoking

Article 50 of the Treaty of the European Union allows for a more protectionist and

isolated UK, this may be a misreading. Prime Minister May has repeatedly called

Ultimately congress holds the power of the purse, but even if full

funding cuts are not achieved the Trump administration has great

leeway in sector priorities. Challenging times lie ahead.

 Implication  for  ICRW  

 

  6  

for a renewal of Britain’s stature on the world stage. The conservative government

of her pro-EU predecessor actually increased DFID’s funding levels to the 0.7% of

GNI that modern donor countries have pledged. Yet as one of only 6 countries to

meet the OECD’s 0.7% target the political pressure to reduce spending is

increasing.6 Britons are not as uninformed as their American counterparts about

foreign aid spending, but they still aren’t convinced of the value of sending tax

dollars overseas.7 While Prime Minister May would like to maintain and increase

Britain’s stature on the global stage, the realities of a protracted exit from the EU

may risk the short-term economic outlook and require Parliament and the

Exchequer to tighten budgets.8 There is also the looming possibility of another

referendum on Scottish independence given one of the reasons they voted to

remain in the United Kingdom was its European Union membership.9 In an attempt

to counter and consolidate her power in parliament, PM May has called for snap

elections in June.10

Private Foundations and Philanthropy

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (with Warren Buffet’s contribution) has

quickly become the top private contributor of development assistance with $3.24

billion in direct outlays to their programs in global development and global health in

2015.11 It’s grant disbursements place it 15th in the world in gross donor activities

when included in bilateral and multilateral lists.12 The Gates Foundation being the

notable new entrant, joins a long list of other foundations originally endowed from

high-profile entrepreneurs and industrialists such as Ford, MacArthur, Hewlett, and

Open Societies. These foundations, though dwarfed in total aid by large bilateral

agencies, can play an important role in leading research. As data from all these

different organizations has been difficult to collate definitive conclusions are

difficult to draw regarding their future priorities, it is fair to say that private

Although not the stated wishes of government, external factors such as

Brexit and internal political trends and their economic consequences

may force a reduction in the UK’s prized 0.7% of GDP donor level.

 

 Implication  for  ICRW  

 

  7  

 

foundations are able to fill gaps and fund niches to which traditional donors have

paid little attention.13

Aid Relationships in Transition?

In 2013, the Dutch development assistance agency reoriented their development

assistance. This document, “A World to Gain: A New Agenda for Aid, Trade, and

Investment,” places Uganda in the middle of their three-tiered development

framework.

Figure 2.1: Aid to Trade Transition for Dutch development cooperation relationships

Source: “A World to Gain”14

This transitional relationship puts added emphasis on expanding trade

opportunities and drawing down anti-poverty aid. The document notes, “The pace

Aid

• Pure  aid  relationship• Burundi,  South  Sudan,  Rwanda

Transition

• Increasing  emphasis  on  Dutch  trade  integration• Uganda,  Kenya,  Mozambique

Trade

• Pure  trade  relationship• South  Africa,  Nigeria

Private donations, be they from large foundations or from the crowd,

can help cover unfilled funding niches not addressed by larger

donors. The flexibility that foundations afford also lends well to

continued research efforts as well as innovation.  

 Implication  for  ICRW  

 

  8  

at which this will occur will differ from country to country.”15 In our conversation

with the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands he noted that this

transition was already underway and spoke of a more mature relationship based on

mutual trade as Uganda grows into a middle income country.

Other Embassies expressed regret that their aid budgets have declined in recent

years. In our interview with the Royal Embassy of Norway in Uganda, their

representative noted that while NORAD budgets have remained steady, the amount

of discretionary spending that gets disbursed directly via the Embassy in Kampala

has been reduced drastically.16 These funds would be granted to local

organizations working in community economic development and enhancing civic

spaces but the refugee crisis in Europe has caused those funds to be diverted.

An Expanded Mexico City Policy

One drastic change to focus on in judging future aid portfolio trends is the Trump

Administration’s implementation on the Mexico City Policy, also known as the

Global Gag rule. It is by far the widest reaching language of any such version of the

executive action, extending its mandate to all global health program funding, rather

than limiting itself to just family planning programs.17 The Ugandan government

has been silent on the effects of the Trump administration’s new Mexico City

Policy.18 Many leading voices have criticized the move and suggested that recent

gains in women’s health will be lost due to the policy change. Even the Bush

administration made exceptions to the policies in order to fully implement its

PEPFAR program.19 In time the current administration may choose to relax certain

restrictions in order to further its foreign policy’s goals, but the current attitude

towards international development suggests this may not be any time in the near

future.

 Implication  for  ICRW  

Uganda’s continued transition into a middle income country will

bring about a realigning of development policy from certain

European countries. The current refugee crisis has diverted small

amounts of development funds away from Uganda.

 

  9  

ICRW Entering Uganda

Uganda has well developed and managed national development frameworks that

were first established in 1997 as the Poverty Eradication Action Plan(PEAP). The

current iteration of this framework was released in 2015 as Vision 2040 which the

Ugandan government hopes to lead its country out of poverty through more

targeted strategies on a whole host of fronts. This, in conjunction with the NGO law

passed by parliament in 201520, has given the government far more control and

ownership of development priorities. It also has the potential to limit NGO’s

conducting work outside of the government established frameworks by imposing

penalties or sanctioning them.21 Various opinions were expressed during out

interviews regarding this legislation. They ranged from positive to negative although

the balance was decidedly more skeptical than not. Because of the relative

newness of the law, there has not been enough time for norms and precedent to

settle regarding its enforcement. These new regulations also impose an extra

burden on NGOs such as ICRW. Record keeping and careful interpretation of the

law’s pertaining qualities will be essential to remain credible within country.

ICRW finds itself well positioned at the crossroads of advocacy and

research for women. It can use this position to do research on the

effects and restrictions this new rules places on its partners and

participants around the world.  

 Implication  for  ICRW  

Uganda’s well defined frameworks and their new NGO Act make it

imperative for ICRW to find partners of good standing with which to

work. ICRW will need to take extra care in its record keeping to make

sure it stays within the bounds of the law.  

 Implication  for  ICRW  

 

  10  

1 Andrew Natsios, “What Trump's Foreign-Aid Budget Means to the Rest of the World,” The

Atlantic, published April 4, 2017, accessed April 25, 2017,

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/04/what-trumps-foreign-aid-budget-means-

to-the-rest-of-the-world/521553/. 2 Curt Tarnoff and Marian L. Lawson, “Foreign Aid: An Introduction to U.S. Programs and Policy,”

Congressional Research Service, published June 17, 2016, accessed April 29, 2017,

https://fas.org/sgp/crs/row/R40213.pdf. 3 Jon Greenberg, “Most people clueless on U.S. foreign aid spending,”Politifact, published

November 9, 2016, accessed April 28, 2017, http://www.politifact.com/global-

news/statements/2016/nov/09/john-kerry/yep-most-people-clueless-us-foreign-aid-spending/. 4 Ed O’Keefe and Sean Sullivan, “Senate Republicans go “nuclear,” pave the way for Gorsuch

confirmation to Supreme Court,” The Washington Post, published April 6, 2017, accessed May 4,

2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/senate-poised-for-historic-clash-over-

supreme-court-nominee-neil-gorsuch/2017/04/06/40295376-1aba-11e7-855e-

4824bbb5d748_story.html?utm_term=.8be8246128df 5 Juliet Eilperin, “Obama will ensure his global development policy outlasts his presidency,” The

Washington Post, published July 20, 2016, accessed May 2, 2017,

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/07/20/on-wednesday-obama-will-

ensure-his-global-development-policy-outlasts-his-presidency/?utm_term=.12b77a388d73 6 “Grumbles grow over Britain’s generous foreign aid budget,” The Economist, published January 5,

2017, accessed April 10, 2017, http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21713862-cuts-home-

and-spending-abroad-provoke-calls-rethink-grumbles-grow-over-britains-generous 7 Will Dahlgreen, “Perceptions of how tax is spent differ widely from reality,” YouGov UK, published

November 9, 2014, accessed April 8, 2017, https://yougov.co.uk/news/2014/11/09/public-

attitudes-tax-distribution/ 8 Clar Ni Chonghaile, “Less aid money, less influence: Brexit’s likely hit to the UK’s development

role,” The Guardian, published July 7, 2016, accessed April 6, 2017,

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2016/jul/07/brexit-uk-development-role-less-

aid-money-less-influence 9 Stephen Castle, “Scotland Votes to Demand a Post-‘Brexit’ Independence Referendum,” The New

York Times, published March 28, 2017, accessed April 27, 2017,

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/28/world/europe /scotland-britain-brexit-european-

union.html?_r=0 10

Angela Dewan and Judith Vonberg, “UK Prime Minister Theresa May to seek early election,” CNN,

published April 18, 2017, accessed May 4, 2017, http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/18/europe/uk-

snap-election-theresa-may/ 11

Sue Desmond-Hellmann, “Annual Report 2015: Letter from the CEO,” Bill and Melinda Gates

Foundation, accessed April 18, 2017, http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Who-We-Are/Resources-

and-Media/Annual-Reports/Annual-Report-2015 12

“Development aid in 2015 continues to grow despite costs for in-donor refugees,” OECD,

published April 13, 2016, accessed April 14, 2017, http://www.oecd.org/dac/stats/ODA-2015-

detailed-summary.pdf 13

https://www.cbd.int/financial/charity/gppi-rolephilanthropy.pdf 14

“A World to Gain: A New Agenda for Aid, Trade and Investment,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs of

the Netherlands, published April 2013, accessed April 2017,

https://www.government.nl/binaries/government/documents/ reports/2013/04/30/a-world-to-

gain/a-world-to-gain-en-1.pdf 15

Ibid. pg 24.

                                                                                                                         

 

  11  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       16

Interview with representative from the Royal Embassy of Norway in Kampala Uganda, January 17th

2017. 17

Jill Filipovic, “The Global Gag Rule: America’s Deadly Export,” Foreign Policy, published March

20, 2017, accessed April 4, 2017, http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/03/20/the-global-gag-rule-

americas-deadly-export-trump-africa-women-reproductive-rights/ 18

Joy Asasira and Dennis Jjuuko, “Comment: Uganda and Trump’s Gag Rule,” published March 1

2017, accessed April 4, 2017, https://www.independent.co.ug/comment-uganda-trumps-gag-

rule/ 19

George W. Bush, “Memorandum for the Secretary of State, SUBJECT: Assistance for Voluntary

Population Planning,” The White House, published August 29, 2003, accessed May 4, 2017,

https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2003/08/20030829-3.html 20

“Parliament passes controversial NGO bill on eve of pope’s arrival,” Daily Monitor, published

November 27, 2015, accessed May 4, 2017, http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Parliament-

passes-controversial-NGO-bill/688334-2974692-8n2co1/index.html 21

Lizabeth Paulat, “Ugandan Parliament Passes Controversial NGO Bill,” VOA News, published

December 15, 2015, accessed May 4, 2017, http://www.voanews.com/a/uganda-ngo-

bill/3104064.html  

 

  12  

International organizations are focusing their attention on Northern Uganda as the

region suffers from constant strains on land, water and food resources which

create immense challenges for local populations. Through interviews with NGO

leaders in January, it became clear that every INGO had a presence in Northern

Uganda. The recent influx of refugees from neighboring South Sudan, the

pastoralist conflict in Karamoja and the LRA conflict in the North have made the

region extremely vulnerable.

Northern

Uganda 03  

 

  13  

Refugee Crisis

In July of 2016, heavy fighting between the South Sudan government and rebel

forces caused the death of hundreds of civilians and forced tens of thousands to

flee the capital. This marked the beginning of a massive flow of refugees into

South Sudan’s neighboring countries. Today, there are approximately 1.6 million

South Sudanese refugees in the region, which now represents the largest scale

refugee movement in Africa. 1 Uganda has been the most affected by the refugee

crisis as its stock of refugees is almost double that of other neighboring countries

combined.

Figure 4.1: South Sudanese Refugee Population in Northern Uganda

   

Source:  UNHCR, Uganda - Refugees and Asylum-Seekers in Country (as of 1 February 2017), 1 February 2017

 

  14  

The political events in South Sudan triggered a refugee emergency in Uganda as

61,000 new refugees were entering Uganda every month. 2 Toward the end of

2016, Uganda still witnessed a daily average of 2,000 to 3,000 refugees entering

the country through various entry points along the border with South Sudan. 3

UNHCR predicts there will be 925,000 refugees from South Sudan in Uganda at the

end of 2017. 4

Figure 4.2: South Sudanese Refugee Population in Uganda

Source: UNHCR. South Sudan Situation, Information Sharing Portal.

In Uganda, the Office of the Prime Minister and UNHCR have been leading the

coordination and implementation of refugee settlements and temporary camps.

Uganda, along with 5 other countries, spearheads the implementation of the

Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) which aims to apply

innovative approaches to improving refugee conditions worldwide. 5 Following the

CRRF, Uganda is providing land to refugees and allowing them to access job

markets. By pushing this new framework, UNHCR admits that there is an

increasing need to address the needs of the refugees and the hosting

communities.

0

100000

200000

300000

400000

500000

600000

700000

800000

900000

December-­‐13 December-­‐14 December-­‐15 December-­‐16

 

  15  

Women and children represent 86 percent of all South Sudan refugees in Uganda. 6

Therefore, child protection, sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) prevention

and response, psycho-social support, legal aid, education and general support

remain of critical importance to the refugee response in Uganda. The high risk of

SGBV and psycho-social trauma while fleeing conflict requires specific protection

services upon reception in Uganda. The large concentration of refugees in

communal temporary reception facilities poses an enormous risk of SGBV for

women and girls which can be mitigated through decongestion and rapid relocation

of refugees to settlements. Additionally, UNHCR reports low numbers of women in

refugees’ leadership positions and low participation in community self-

management structures which has led to difficulties in identifying protection

cases.7

Pastoralist Conflict and Climate Change

The North-Eastern region of Uganda, Karamoja, has gone through a ten-year

peace and disarmament process. Tensions between the Pokot, the Karamojong

and other pastoralist groups over natural resources had escalated with the

introduction of arms. The conflict affected the entire Karamoja region and

neighboring districts. After years of instability and unsettlement, the region has now

returned to a state of relative peace. The Pokot community who had fled to

neighboring Kenya due to violent cattle rustling by the neighboring Karamojong

group started to migrate back to the Karamoja region protected under a

disarmament and peace treaty.

The UN’s focal interest in addressing SGBV in refugee camps represents a

potential entry point for ICRW. ICRW is well placed to deliver research

which identifies best programs to address SGBV in a refugee camp

situation. SGBV reduction programs will also need M&E. ICRW can partner

with other organizations that have received funding to address SGBV in

refugee camps, leveraging their expertise and knowledge in the area.

 

 Implication  for  ICRW  

 

  16  

The disarmament process imposed sedentary pastoralist practices which now limit

cattle herders’ mobility. Corrals are now concentrated around Ugandan army

camps, replacing the traditional Kraal system which enabled cattle herders to move

their cattle camps as they traveled during the dry season searching for water and

grass. 8 The forced mobility and the concentration of corrals is creating challenging

conditions for pastoralists’ livelihoods. Tensions are emerging due to overgrazing

and limited water resources. Additionally, there are now risks of livestock diseases

and reduced reproduction rates linked to this practice. 9 All of these issues

combined reduce the quality of herds, render livestock more sensitive to heat and

water stress, and threaten their usefulness in helping families cope with shocks.

In addition to changing herding practices, climate change has worsened already

difficult environmental conditions for people living in Karamoja. Unlike most of the

country which experiences two distinct rainy seasons, Karamoja only has one

single long rainy period between April and November. The region has recently been

affected by an increase in average temperature, an increase in average number of

days with extreme heat, decreased reliability of rainy season, reductions in total

annual rainfall and a shorter rainy season. 10

The current climate trends have caused climate-related shocks in the region which

affect households’ agriculture productivity. These shocks include erratic and

unevenly distributed rainfall which can result in droughts, severe dry spells, floods,

outbreaks of livestock disease or changing crop pest dynamics, high food prices,

livelihood insecurity. 11    

 Implication  for  ICRW  

Although climate change and food security are not a current area that

ICRW focuses on, it is an area that has received growing interest from

donors. ICRW’s research around women’s economic empowerment

programs can fit in well with current food security and resilience

programming.

 

 

  17  

Post-Conflict Reconstruction

The Acholi region in Northern Uganda suffered twenty years of armed conflict

between the Ugandan government and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) led by

Joseph Kony. Approximately two million people were displaced and lived in IDP

camps for over two decades.12 Since the LRA left Northern Uganda in 2006, peace

has returned and a vast majority of people have returned to their original homes.

The communities in this region, however, remain fragile with low levels of access to

basic services and sustainable livelihoods. Government institutions are weak and

the Acholi community’s social fabric has been eroded during life in camps. Land

conflicts are rampant in parts of the region and threaten the social and economic

recovery process.

1 UNHCR. South Sudan’s refugee crisis now world’s fastest growing, Uganda and region in critical

need of help. March 17, 2017. http://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing/2017/3/58cba77f4/south-

sudans-refugee-crisis-worlds-fastest-growing-uganda-region-critical.html 2 UNHCR. South Sudan Regional Response Plan, January-December 2017. December 2016

3 Ibid

4 Ibid

5 UNHCR, 2017

6 UNHCR, 2016

7 Ibid

8 USAID-FFP. Climate Risk Screening for food security, Karamoja, Uganda. January 2017

9 Ibid

10 Ibid

11 Ibid

12 Fairbairn, Amy. Mercy Corps to Provide Urgent Relief to South Sudanese Refugees in Uganda.

February 2, 2017. https://www.mercycorps.org/press-room/releases/mercy-corps-provide-urgent-

relief-south-sudanese-refugees-uganda

                                                                                                                         

 

  18  

Government

Priorities

From the PEAP to Vision 2040, the main priority of the Ugandan government has

been poverty alleviation. While poverty reduction has been the primary goal of the

government for decades, the government has utilized a variety of approaches to try

and achieve it. The PEAP was the guiding framework of development in Uganda for

roughly 20 years.1 It focused on creating economic opportunities for the poor and

providing basic services to the population, including health and education.2 Two of

the four pillars of the PEAP put people at the center of the plan, focusing on their

well-being and income.3 However, Uganda has recently begun using a new

framework to promote growth and alleviate poverty that focuses on the

development of hard infrastructure.4

04  

 

  19  

Vision 2040

Vision 2040 is the latest framework to follow the PEAP. This new plan along with

the projected budgets demonstrate the government’s change in tactics in regards

to reducing poverty. The amount of resources dedicated to education remains high

in relation to many other sectors, but is smaller by about ten percent compared to

its highest point during the PEAP.5 In the place of education, the works and

transportation sector and energy and mineral development sectors have both seen

growth in planned investment by the government, as well as outside sources. The

language in Vision 2040 signals a distinct departure from the human focused

PEAP. Instead it stresses the “harnessing [of] strategic opportunities” such as a

large labor force, agriculture, tourism, and many natural resources, such as oil,

gas, minerals, and water. 6, In order, to take advantage of these opportunities, the

government has focused its resources on developing infrastructure that will

promote the utilization of these natural resources whether through trade of oil and

minerals, or development of the energy sector through hydropower.

Infrastructure Projects

Transportation infrastructure will be

vital if Uganda intends to expand

trade of its natural resources, which

explains why transportation has now

become the largest planned

expenditure in Uganda’s budget.

Currently, the Ugandan government

is seeking a $500 million loan from

the EXIM Bank of China to build

roads near its oil deposits in the

Albertine basin, which is in addition

to a $2.3 billion loan to build a

railway.7 The Ugandan government

has also received loans from the

AfDB to work on three different roads

projects. In 2015, Uganda also had a

loan from The World Bank. Uganda

Source: Lauren Purnell, 2017. Kyagwe Road

in Kampala, Uganda

 

  20  

had already received more than two-thirds of the $265 million loan, but after

allegations of sexual abuse of minors in the areas near the project and the

mishandling of these allegations, the World Bank project was cancelled.8

Even with the large loans that Uganda has procured for these projects, a high

amount of investment in roads comes from the government. On the other hand,

investment in energy is meager compared to the international financing received. In

the budget projections from 2015 moving forward, internal investment hovers

between three and four percent, but including external investments the proportion

of investment in energy jumps to 12 percent of the national budget.9

Figure 5.1: 2017/2018 Final Sectoral Budget Allocations with External Financing

Source: Data from National Budget Framework Paper, FY 2017/18-FY2012/22, p.30-31.

Works  and  Transport24%

Justice/Law  and  Order/Accountability

/Legislature13%

Education13%

Public  Sector  Management/Admin

10%

Energy  and  Mineral  Development

12%

Security8%

Health9%

Agriculture5%

Water  and  Environment

3%

Tourism,  Housing,  IT,  Social  Dev

3%

 

  21  

The budget also has financing projects related to the development of Uganda’s oil

deposits. Three joint venture partners from three different countries. The

companies are UK’s Tullow Oil, France’s Total SA, and China’s CNOOC. In order to

begin exporting the oil, a pipeline has been agreed upon through Tanzania.

Tanzania and Uganda have awarded a contract to Gulf Interstate Engineering in the

United States for the design of the pipeline.10

The progress of oil production, electrification, and road construction have all

emerged as priorities in recent years.

Social Programs

This shift in priorities suggests that social policy and programs may not remain

main focus of the government in the coming years. Also, there are instances of

government programs that are funded by multilaterals or foreign governments. An

example of this is the DFID funded program, Support to Uganda’s Response on

Gender Equality (SURGE). SURGE has been empowered to do a review of the

budgets in order to detect areas where gender inequalities may take root. Along

similar lines, is the Northern Uganda Action Fund which was made possible

through a loan from the World Bank to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and

Economic Development. This project aims to provide a safety net for poor and

vulnerable households in Northern Uganda. The hope for projects like these is that

the government will eventually be able to fund and run them independently, but

currently these are not the areas where the government is dedicating its resources.

Implications for ICRW

The shift in the government’s approach to development from a more human-

centric development strategy to a more infrastructure based approach may mean

that certain entry points that were once open to ICRW are no longer accessible. As

it pertains to research, there may very well be opportunities to show how these

changes are affecting women directly and whether they are being left behind in, or

if the benefits of this kind of growth are equitable. Additionally, there are certain

issues that arise as a result of such infrastructure developments that would be of

concern to women, for example, the rise of sexual abuse surrounding construction

projects. The development of the oil fields could raise similar concerns.

 

  22  

The three joint venture partners have all agreed to the use of Land Acquisition and

Resettlement Framework (LARF) and create a Resettlement Action Plan (RAP). The

LARF and RAP were formed by both the joint partners and representatives from the

Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Ministry of Local Government,

and National Environment Management Authority. Even with these guidelines in

place, these parties will have the legal right to remove residents from their land in

exchange for what they determine to be adequate compensation.

Most Ugandans currently living on this land are either agriculturalists or

agropastoralists, so their entire livelihood is generally tied to their land.11 The power

dynamics in these kinds of procedures would be difficult for any average Ugandan

to navigate and there is a high risk that female-headed households would not be

adequately compensated as women’s right to land is generally tenuous at best.

1 National Planning Authority of Uganda, “Uganda Vision 2040,” National Planning Authority of

Uganda, 2017, 3. 2 Rosemary McGee, “Meeting the International Poverty Targets in Uganda: Halving Poverty and

Achieving Universal Primary Education,” Development Policy Review 18, (2000): 87. 3 Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic , “Uganda’s Poverty Eradication Action Plan:

Summary And Main Objectives,” Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, (2000): 3

                                                                                                                         

Programs related to ICRW’s thematic areas may have less funding then

before, but there are still areas where research will be needed to show the

the rights of women and girls are being protected.  

 Implication  for  ICRW  

The improvements of these procedures to ensure that they are equitable

between male-headed and female-headed households could be seen as

an entry point for ICRW.  

 Implication  for  ICRW  

 

  23  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       4 Ibid., 23.

5 Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, “Approved Estimates Of Revenue And

Expenditure (Recurrent And Development,” (2015): 18-21. 6 National Planning Authority of Uganda, “Uganda Vision 2040,” National Planning Authority of

Uganda, 2017, 4. 7 Elias Biryabarema, “Uganda says seeking $500 million loan from China for roads in oil area,”

Reuters, 2017. 8 Shawn Donnan, “World Bank cancels $265m Uganda road project,” The Financial Times

(Washington, DC), Dec. 21, 2015. 9 Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, “National Budget Framework Paper FY

2017/18 - FY2021/22,” (2017): 30-31. 10

Elias Biryabarema, “Uganda and Tanzania award crude pipeline design contract to U.S. firm,”

Reuters, Jan. 11, 2017 11

CNOOC, Total, Tullow, “Land Acquisition and Resettlement Framework,” (2016).

 

  24  

Private

Sector

Private sector development has become a priority of Uganda, and yet growth in

this area will inevitably be stunted by the difficult business environment and

corruption that continues to permeate the government. Despite these challenges,

the private sector represents a large part of consumption and investment within

Uganda.

05  

 

  25  

Private Sector Environment

The World Bank’s Doing Business ranks Uganda 115th out of 190 countries, behind

both Kenya and Rwanda.1 The especially low rankings on indicators measuring the

time needed to start a business, gain access to electricity, or obtain construction

permits reveal that there is more the government could be doing to improve these

processes. Even with these challenges, private investment in Uganda as a part of

total investment is estimated to be 76 percent, indicative of a very high degree of

private sector activity.2 However, for countries characterized by low productivity,

even high shares of private investment may not promise the desired level of

growth. It is also notable that 85 percent of credit is private, belying any notion that

the government is crowding out investment through its push for infrastructure

development.3 In fact, access to credit was the indicator that was least of concern

in the World Bank’s Doing Business Report , achieving a rank of 44th out of 190

countries.4 Although even in access to credit Uganda ranked behind Rwanda and

Kenya.

Social Enterprise

Operational difficulties in the private sector have not disincentivized companies

from starting initiatives that serve society and empower women. In fact, many

social enterprises in Uganda work with women on a number of levels. There are a

variety of organizations that connect local women artisans to larger markets, as is

the case of “Baskets of Africa”. Some take the form of social enterprises and

others act as nonprofit organizations, with missions that overlap with ICRW’s

thematic areas. Another organization active in the areas of women’s

empowerment is AgriProFocus which acts as a network for farmers, companies,

governments, and research. AgriProFocus is actively conducting trainings that

introduce gender concepts and build capacity of local organizations. These

businesses, nonprofit organizations, and networks could provide opportunities for

ICRW to offer services to enhance their mission and improve strategies they are

currently employing. Additionally, organizations like the National Union of Coffee

Agribusinesses and Enterprises or the Integrated Seed Sector Development which

are participating in training in gender may be open to further integrating gender into

their organizational practices, which could also be an entry point for ICRW.

 

  26  

CSR Initiatives

Centenary Bank has also taken initiative in the area of women’s empowerment.

Centenary Bank has used it corporate social responsibility (CSR) department to

begin the “Supawoman Club Programme” in order to address gender imbalances

between men and women as it pertains to access to and understanding of

financial services. Other prominent banks in Uganda, such as Stanbic Bank and

Standard Chartered are not making similar efforts. Standard Chartered, however,

has created insurance plans specifically for women in Ghana and supported the

training of female entrepreneurs in Bangladesh. Given that Standard Chartered has

women’s empowerment programs in other countries, there may be barriers they are

facing in Uganda that ICRW could help them overcome.

UNDP Gender Equality Seal Certification Programme

Other companies that have expressed interest in cultivating equitable work places

are doing so through the Gender Equality Seal (GES) Certification Programme for

Public and Private Enterprises. The GES Certification Programme is part of Goal 5

of the Sustainable Development Goals. It is being promoted by the UNDP as a way

to spur companies to reevaluate their policies and practices in order to create

equitable conditions for men and women in the work place. The list of key areas

released by the UNDP include, “Eliminating gender-based pay gaps, increasing

women’s role in decision-making, enhancing work-life balance, enhancing

women’s access to non-traditional jobs, eradicating sexual harassment at work,

and using inclusive, non-sexist communication.”5 Currently, 13 companies in the

Private Sector Foundation of Uganda (PSFU) have committed themselves to the

program.6

Missions of social enterprises and CSR initiatives of companies that are in

line with ICRW’s thematic areas should be targeted as potential clients for

ICRW advisors, partners, and donors.  

 Implication  for  ICRW  

 

  27  

This presents an opportunity for ICRW. Over the course of stakeholder meetings in

Kampala, two different organizations explained the difficulty they have with

effectively including women or a gender perspective. One organization felt that

gender mainstreaming efforts often involve simply checking a box, due to lack of

certainty over what can be done to truly achieve this goal.7 They noted that there is

a lack of reflection in the process. Another organization explained that they often

understand the need for a gendered perspective in their programming, yet they do

not know what to ask for in a specialist.8

Figure 6.1 Sample of Companies and Social Enterprises that ICRW Could Target

Company Information Entry Points for ICRW

AFRIpads

Social Enterprise

http://afripads.com/

Afripads is a growing social enterprise looking for

new ways to show how its reusable sanitary pads

make a difference in the lives of women and girls.

Airtel

Telecom Company

http://afripads.com/

Airtel has women’s empowerment initiatives in

India, but in Uganda they have focused more on

rural schools. Perhaps, they would be willing to

see how Indian initiatives could be implemented in

the Ugandan context with the help of ICRW.

Alam Group

Conglomerate of building,

mechanical and construction

companies

http://www.alam-

group.com/index.php/csr

Alam Group is an UNDP GES Certification

Program participant and has many active CSR

efforts but none related to women. Their

demonstrated interest in gender may mean that

the Alam Group would seek to know how to

include gender equity goals within their

organization and CSR efforts.

The limits to organizational knowledge on eliminating inequality provides

an opportunity for ICRW to market itself, as these businesses may need

assistance so that the attainment of the GES is not simply in name, but is

evident in their actions and working environment, as well.  

 Implication  for  ICRW  

 

  28  

Baskets of Africa

Social Enterprise

http://www.basketsofafrica.com/

Baskets of Africa connects female artisans within

Africa to wider markets. On their website there is

not any strong evidence of social impact, thus a

partnership with ICRW could strengthen their

evidence and help them better tell the story of

their artisans.

Burn

Social Enterprise

http://acumen.org/investment/burn/

Burn produces clean and efficient stoves

throughout East Africa. Given the behavior change

they are seeking from customers, ICRW could

offer a partnership results in better information

regarding women’s energy needs in the region.

Centenary Bank

Bank

http://www.centenarybank.co.ug

Centenary Bank currently has the Supa Woman

Programme and has been active in promoting

women's financial literacy. Perhaps they would be

interested in how to better evaluate the impact of

these programs.

DFCU Bank

Bank

https://www.dfcugroup.com

DFCU Bank is participating in the UNDP GES

Certification Program and has a Women in

Business Programme that encourages women

entrepreneurs. DFCU Bank could be a potential

client of ICRW, so they can better build and

evaluate their CSR programs.

Finance Trust

Bank

https://www.financetrust.co.ug/

Finance Trust is a participant in the UNDP GES

Certification Program and has CSR efforts related

to health. Given their demonstrated interest in

gender equity, perhaps they would consider

expanding their CSR to include women’s

empowerment.

Hostalite

Tech Company

http://www.hostalite.com/

Hostalite has a proven interest in gender through

the UNDP GES Certification Program and its work

with Marie Stopes related to a hackathon for

health solutions that emphasized reproductive

health. Hostalie could be a potential client of

ICRW advisors moving forward.

MTN Uganda

Telecom

www.mtn.co.ug/

MTN Uganda’s CSR initiatives currently focus on

health, education, and environment. All of these

can be connected with women and perhaps they

would be interested in seeing how gender could

be better incorporated into their CSR initiatives.

NBS Television

Media

http://www.nbs.ug/

NBS Television is an UNDP GES Certification

Program Participant and potential client for ICRW

advisors.

 

  29  

NTV Digital

Media

http://www.ntv.co.ug

NTV Digital launched a campaign aimed at

creating an awareness campaign for victims of

GBV about two years ago. This may be a

campaign they would be willing to repeat and

ICRW could be in a position to measure the

impact of such a campaign.

Nile Breweries

Alcoholic Beverage Company

http://nilebreweries.com/

Nile Breweries is an UNDP GES Certification

Program participant and CSR promoting sorghum

agriculture in Northern Uganda. Their recent

interest in gender may open doors for ICRW as a

potential client for ICWR advisors.

Simba Group

Conglomerate of telecom, real

estate, agriculture and energy

firms.

http://www.the-simba-group.com/

Simba Group is an UNDP GES Certification

Program participant, with CSR initiatives focused

on youth through their CSR-arm, Simba

Foundation. Perhaps they would want to create an

initiative focused specifically on girls and young

women to accomplish the GES Certification and

expand its CSR goals.

Solar Sister

Social Enterprise

https://www.solarsister.org/

Solar Sister is a previous partner of ICRW. The

mission of Solar Sister naturally aligns with that of

ICRW and it would be beneficial to maintain this

relationship.

Standard Chartered Bank

Bank

https://www.sc.com/en/

Standard Chartered Bank is an UNDP GES

Certification Program Participant and has

women's empowerment programs in Ghana and

throughout Asia. These have not been introduced

in Uganda, creating an entry point for ICRW to

discuss what barriers they may be facing in the

Ugandan context.

1 The World Bank, “Doing Business 2017 Economy Profile Uganda,” (Washingon: World Bank

Publishers, 2017), 8. 2 Stampini, et al., “How Large Is the Private Sector in Africa? Evidence from National Accounts and

Labor Market,” (Bonn: Institute for the Study of Labor, 2011), 2, 6. 3 Ibid., 10.

4 The World Bank, “Doing Business 2017 Economy Profile Uganda,” (Washingon: World Bank

Publishers, 2017), 61. 5 United National Development Programme, “Gender Equality Seal Certification Programme for

Public and Private Enterprises.” 6 PSFU, “13 Companies Commit to the Gender Equality Seal Certification Program (GES)”,

Press Release, December 20, 016, Accessed May 1, 2017.

http://www.psfuganda.org/new/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53:ges&catid=14:n

ews-display&Itemid=262.

                                                                                                                         

 

  30  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       7 Team interview, January 25, 2017, 5:00PM, TPO.

8 Team interview, January 25, 2017, 11:00AM, PACE.

 

  31  

Remittances  

Remittances are an important factor for development in Uganda. Many urban and

rural households have benefited from the benefits of this additional source of

income. Inclusive access to remittances across gender can help spread these

benefits and reduce gender inequalities. As expansions in technology and

infrastructure have helped boost domestic, regional and international remittances,

it is useful to analyze the opportunities and challenges that the private and public

sectors have faced so far in working towards harnessing the power of remittances.

06  

 

  32  

Trends in Remittances

Remittance flows into Uganda grew by eighteen percent in 2015 from the previous

year 1 and grew faster than Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) and Overseas

Development Assistance (ODA) in the last decade. 2 Remittances also represent a

more stable source of income at the micro and macro level. 3

Figure 7.1: Remittance Flows to Uganda (USD Millions)

Source: World Bank, Annual Remittances Data, last updated April 2017.

Uganda is placed among the top five countries in Sub-Saharan Africa in terms of

size of net remittances. 4 However, remittances only represent three percent of the

country’s GDP. 5 Uganda does not rely heavily on remittances unlike small economies

such as Djibouti or the Gambia.

Various studies have shown the same trend in household use of remittances. Also,

the allocation of remittances to the household budget have not changed significantly

throughout the years. Consumption goods and services represent the main use of

remittances. 6 The second biggest spending category is education. 7 The share of

remittances spent on education increases if it is an international remittance. 8 Health

and other human capital expenditures are close behind education. 9 In the end,

Ugandans spend little of their income on capital investments for agriculture of

businesses. One reason that may explain why Ugandans do not use remittances for

longer term investments (such as agricultural machines or real estate) is that banks

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

 

  33  

do not consider remittances as a form of income, making it virtually impossible for

households that rely on remittances to get loans approved. 10

Accuracy of Remittance Data

The availability and accuracy of remittance data is problematic. Indeed, quantifying

remittances is done on an inconsistent and unreliable basis. This is due to the fact

that money transfer operators and banks do not collect remittance data

homogeneously and often don’t share the data to third parties. 11 However,

remittance estimates have improved since in 2011, the Bank of Uganda (BOU) has

developed a new methodology to measure remittances based on migrant flows. 12In

2011, the World Bank estimated that remittance flows into Uganda represented US

$ 900 million while the BOU estimated inward remittances to be US $ 58 million.

2015 data shows convergence in estimates between the World Bank and the BOU

remittance estimates.

The size of the informal remittance market is another factor that contributes to the

unreliability of remittance data. Remittances are often delivered through informal

channels such as friends or family personally delivering cash to relatives in Uganda.

The World Development Report 2007 reported that the informal remittance sector

could potentially represent half of the formal sector 13 showing how the size of

remittance flows could be hugely underestimated.

Public and Private Sector Responses

Full liberalization of the capital account was implemented in Uganda in 1997.

Liberalization attracted and increased the number of players in the formal remittance

sector. At the same time, it made it difficult for the BOU to measure remittances as

actors were no longer required to disclose the amount of foreign currency with which

they entered the country.

The Financial Institution Act 2004, the Foreign Exchange Act 2004, and the Foreign

Exchange Regulations 2006 all provide extensive regulation for money transfer

businesses. The Foreign Exchange Act and Regulations require foreign exchange

 Implication  for  ICRW  

There is little in-depth research done in Uganda about the impact that

remittances have on households, especially women within the

household. This represents an opportunity for ICRW to contribute

important research to a policy area that is seeing growing interest.

 

  34  

bureaus and international money remittance businesses to obtain authorization from

the BOU before engaging in money remittance operations. 14 The requirements to

obtain a license for money transfer business can be costly. In particular, capital

requirements can create a disincentive for small operators to opt in to registration. 15 The prohibitive costs of registration for small and medium sized money transfer

companies may force them to merge to survive. This results in a less competitive

market that could hinder efforts to reduce remittance costs.

Figure 7.1: Cost of Sending $200 and $500 to Uganda, in USD

From Kenya From Tanzania From United Kingdom

$ 200 9.44 17.13 8.69

$ 500 5.07 8.32 6.29

Note: Prices are total average prices for first quarter 2017

Source: World Bank, Remittance Prices Worldwide

Current laws also require all authorized foreign exchange dealers to issue receipts

for every foreign exchange transaction and submit returns to the BOU. 16 The

transaction receipts, the foundation document for official data, require customers to

indicate the source and purpose for funds transacted. 17 The implementation of this

law and the accuracy of completed forms raises concerns. However, if accurately

completed, the forms are a credible source of information on foreign exchange

flows.

Although the Ugandan government has taken some important steps towards market

liberalization which have had the effect of increasing remittance flows, some of the

regulation is extremely costly especially for small money operators. In addition to

increasing the cost of remittances for users, these laws and regulations may

indirectly limit access to remittances in rural areas where alternatives (such as banks)

are not available.

How do Remittances Affect Women?

While the inflow of remittances to Uganda has almost doubled between 2009 and

2013, women and men report differing access to remittance mechanisms. This is

especially when looking at formal sector remittances. The gender gap has started to

 

  35  

become more apparent according to a FinScope survey studying financial inclusion

in Uganda in 2013. Fifty-one percent of women compared to fifty-eight percent of

men surveyed received remittances in 2013. 18 Although this might not seem like a

wide gap, it is indicative of the difference in access to formal banking institutions

between men and women.

The receiving household’s allocation of remittance income points to an increase in

education expenditures as previously noted. This could have an important impact on

access and quality of education for many Ugandan children, especially girls.

Figure 7.3: Receiving Remittances in Uganda in 2009 and 2013, percent

Note: the categories are not mutually exclusive.

Source: Uganda 2013 Finscope III Survey Report Findings

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Any  Remittances Formal Informal Any  Remittances Formal Informal

2009 2013

Uganda Female Male

 

Increasing efforts towards more financial inclusion for women is the main

avenue for ICRW to enter the remittance policy and programmatic area in

Uganda. Women face many challenges in accessing bank accounts, either

geographical or institutional. ICRW can leverage its research in this field to

increase its women’s economic empowerment agenda.  

Implication  for  ICRW  

 

  36  

1  World  Bank.  Migration  and  Remittances  Data:  Annual  Remittances  Data  (updated  as  of  April  2017)  

2  Endo,  Isaku,  Namaaji,  Jane  and  Kulathunga,  Anoma.  Uganda’s  Remittance  Corridors  from  United  Kingdom,  United  States  and,  South  Africa,  Challenges  to  Linking  Remittances  to  the  Use  of  Formal  Services.  World  Bank  Working  Paper  n.  201.  Washington,  DC:    2011  

3  Ratha,  Dilip  et  al.  Leveraging  Migration  for  Africa,  Remittances,  Skills  and,  Investments.  World  Bank,  Washington,  DC:  2011  

4  Endo,  2011  5  World  Bank,  2017  6  Ratha,  2011  7  Ibid  8  Ibid  9  Ibid  10  Endo,  2011  11  Endo,  2011  12  Interview  with  Isaku  Endo:  April  12,  2017  13  Ratha,  2011  14  Endo,  2011  15  Ibid  16  Ibid  17  Ibid  18  Economic  Policy  Research  Center  (EPRC).  Uganda  2013  FinScope  III  Survey,  Report  Findings:  Unlocking  Barriers  to  Financial  Inclusion.  November,  2013.      

                                                                                                                         

 

  37  

Women and

Political

Participation    

Since the 1990s, we have seen a revolution in women’s political participation

across Sub Saharan Africa. Since Uganda adopted the quota system in 1989, the

country has continuously met its target for women’s presence in the National

Assembly. Despite significant progress, many with whom we spoke cited the lack

of meaningful female political participation as a key hurdle to improving

development outcomes related to gender equality. Without significant policies

targeting the social and economic hurdles women face, especially gender norms

and ownership of productive resources, women’s empowerment in Uganda will

remain a challenge.

07  

 

  38  

Women and Political Participation

There are multiple dimensions to women’s political empowerment: their presence in

formal arenas such as parliament and the cabinet, as well as women’s leadership

in civil society and local political structures. In the formal arena, quotas have

proven an important factor for female political inclusion. Those African countries

that have adopted the quota system have an average of 9% more seats selected

for women.1 Still, potential partners such as Oxfam, Mercy Corps, and the Nordic

Consulting Group as well as the Makerere School of Women and Gender Studies all

cited low female political influence as a major obstacle for implementing long term

changes to support women’s empowerment

Figure 8.1: UNDP Gender Equality Rankings

 

Source: UNDP Gender Equity Case Study, Uganda 2011 (2011)

 

 

  39  

The Ugandan Context

As is a continent-wide trend, Uganda has positive policies for female inclusion in

political life. Women have the same access to voting and running for election, and

following the 2011 elections 23 female ministers held positions in the 75-member

cabinet. Uganda boasts the fourth highest percentage of women in legislature

among the Sub Saharan African countries.2

The 2012 Social Institutions and Gender Index ranked Uganda as 73 out of 86, with

a score of 0.38. Uganda was ranked 46 out of 136 in the 2013 Global Gender Gap

Index with a score of 0.517; 110 out of 148 in the 2012 Gender Inequality Index

with a score of 0.517. These indices are on a 0-1 scale, and for the SIDI and the

Gender Inequality Index 0 is complete equality and 1 complete inequality.3

Regional Improvements

Improvements can be explained by global factors, like changing norms around

women’s representation and the growth of women’s movements pressing for

political change. In Sub-Saharan Africa specifically, political openings in the

1990s, the decline in intra-state conflict, and the willingness of international

donors to support the women’s empowerment agenda all created new opportunity

structures for women. These structures were especially salient in African countries

undergoing a peace process – the post-conflict element allowed for women’s

engagement in peacekeeping negotiations and proved to be an important way to

bolster engagement.4 Of 10 countries in Sub Saharan Africa with highest

percentages of women in cabinet, 6 are post-conflict, suggesting these dynamics

influence women’s leadership.5

Barriers to Access for Female Candidates

The legal framework in Uganda is not discriminatory in its makeup; however social,

economic, and cultural constraints that Ugandan women face present some

challenges. These include less access to resources, education and health

challenges, gender roles which direct women away from political life, access to

justice, and gender based violence.

While women in Sub Saharan Africa are responsible for 60% of agricultural

productivity, they have clear title to only 3-4% of the land they work.6

 

  40  

Discriminatory inheritance laws prevent women from attaining the wealth they need

to support themselves, let alone to reach the upper echelons of politics. Indeed,

the political campaign process has also become more expensive. The Presidential

Elections Act has been altered to raise the required amount from 8 million to 20

million for presidential candidates. This appeared to especially impact female

candidates; for example, Ms. Maureen Kyalya was forced to halt her presidential

campaign three weeks into the 2016 process, citing lack of funds.7 The emphasis

on money and the commercialization of the campaign process has made barriers

to entry even greater for women.

In terms of access to education, the same number of boys as girls are now

enrolled in primary schools. The ratio of girls to boys in secondary and tertiary

levels is 88.3% and 79.1% in 2014, respectively. The gender gap still exists at

these levels due to socioeconomic, cultural, and religious practices that push

women into the agricultural sector or early marriage and pregnancy, interrupting

further education.8

In 2013, 38% of female headed households were uneducated. Only 3.8% of

female household heads had completed a post- secondary level of education.

Female adults were more likely to care for the sick – 78% of household members

who fell sick were taken care of by a woman. 66% of women are involved in

fetching and collecting firewood, exposing them to health risks and sexual assault.9

Women are increasingly attending campaign rallies, as seen in the most recent

2016 election. This is partly due to the sensitization of women’s organizations and

a general improvement in society’s attitude regarding women as political

candidates. Still, negative attitudes persist. Women are disproportionately asked

about marital status and whether their husbands are accompanying them on the

campaign trail.10 There has been some contention in the 2016 elections as to

whether women should be allowed to represent the areas in which they were

married but not born. Many voters believe women should not stand on open seats.

Politically powerful male champions of female MPs is a growing phenomenon;

while this move may prove helpful for female candidates, it also entrenches notions

of patronage and male privilege on the political stage.11 These norms will likely

have an impact on the performance of female candidates over time.

 

  41  

Changing Organizational Priorities and Methods

The majority of research concerning women’s political participation centers on their

involvement in political affairs, rather than policy-specific outcomes. Scholars have

examined the relationship between gender quotas and women’s access to

leadership, revealing that institutionalizing quotas is an important factor improving

gender equality. However, this focus on quotas has pressured scholars to focus on

the numeral representation of women, rather than the factors that allow women to

get elected, or their influence once in office. The socio-economic factors

impacting electoral success for women remain less addressed, with some

evidence that education attainment correlates highly with women’s access to

office. For example, Yoon (2004) identifies women access to education, women’s

labor force participation, country’s economic condition, and country’s culture as

the most important social, economic, and cultural factors affecting women’s

access to the parliament.12

Another new direction in the area of women’s political participation is building

greater data use for assessing impact.13 Addressing the gender data gap is

necessary to ensure that development work is truly impacting the growth more

inclusive societies; however, the data realm when it comes to political

competencies remains limited. For example, while the global gender gap in health

outcomes and educational attainment has been nearly closed, only 23% of the gap

in the political sphere has been closed, according to the World Economic Forum’s

2016 Global Gender Gap Index.14 The root causes of exclusion must therefore be

addressed qualitatively and quantitatively, in order to inject life into this avenue of

women’s empowerment programming, an avenue ICRW is well placed to engage.

 Implication  for  ICRW  

ICRW can help build coalitions that target grassroots women in

areas that are especially vulnerable to discrimination, and train

women on media skills and key national and local policy issues.  

 

  42  

Gaps and Recommendations

The unique challenges that plague poor outcomes in female political participation

are useful for ICRW’s to know in a number of ways. First, while research is plentiful

surrounding the quota system and its benefits to increasing female participation,

evidence on socio-political context and clear and accessible impact data are

needed to assess the situation holistically. There is tentative evidence to suggest

that post-conflict environments, for example the Karamoja region, are promising

entry points for supporting women politically. Karamoja could be a fruitful potential

starting point for ICRW to collect and analyze data on women’s leadership and

participation in Uganda.

Second, it is likely that the capacities of women and norms of Ugandan society are

important factors, rather than solely women’s access to the system. Therefore,

supporting NGOs who pilot trainings or supplemental education for women to

improve their skills would be beneficial to the sector. This can be done by building

coalitions that target grassroots women in areas that are especially vulnerable to

discrimination, training women on media skills and building knowledge of key

national and local policy issues.15 For example, the IRI Women’s Democracy

Network has used Women’s Political Education Forums to increase women’s

political engagement. On a lower level, mentorship programs and supporting local

role model partnerships is a less intrusive or politically overt way to build women’s

capacity in this setting.

In addition to addressing the foundational elements underlying women’s

participation, activity around election cycles themselves is crucial. Because women

typically have less access to the media in Uganda, ICRW and civil society

organizations might act together to analyze campaign messages and educate

women specifically on the legitimacy of political promises made.16 In addition,

increasing clarity around requirements for voting is a practical and necessary

measure – in the 2016 elections, many women were left out of the process simply

due to confusion as to the time of day voting was taking place.

Women’s representation in political bodies in Uganda plays an important symbolic

role, but it is insufficient for realizing the kind of tangible change in resources and

attitudes necessary to advance women’s status in society. The state of research in

this area suggests that collective action and pressure from outside the state is

 

  43  

especially impactful, and ICRW with its emphasis on rigorous results-driven

research is well-placed to participate in this process.

 

 

1 Franceschet, Susan; Krook, Mona; Piscopo, Jennifer. Quotas and Qualifications in Uganda.

2012.The Impact of Gender Quotas. Oxford Scholarship Online.

http://www.oxfordscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199830091.001.0001/acprof-

9780199830091-chapter-4 2 Franceschet, Krook, Piscopo

3 Tripp, Aili. 2014. Women’s Political Participation in Sub-Saharan Africa. Retrieved from

http://www.ssrc.org/publications/view/women-s-political-participation-in-sub-saharan-africa/ 4 Tripp, Aili

5 Tripp, Aili

6 Political Economy of Gender in Sub-Saharan Africa. April, 2017. Johns Hopkins School of

Advanced International Studies Africa Studies Conference. Washington, DC. 7 Political Economy of Gender in Sub-Saharan Africa. April, 2017. Johns Hopkins School of

Advanced International Studies Africa Studies Conference. Washington, DC. 8 Millennium Development Goals Report for Uganda 2013, UN Development Programme, Ministry of

Finance, Planning, and Economic Development. 9 Uganda National Household Survey 2012-2013, Uganda Bureau of Statistics. Kampala, Uganda,

2014. 10

"Report On Gender And Women's Participation In The 2016 Elections In Uganda". 2016.

http://www.cewigo.org/sites/default/files/reports/second_report_on_gender_and_womens_participat

ion_in_2016_elections-nov_2015-jan_2016.pdf. 11

Report on Gender and Women’s Participation 2016 12

Kiwanuka, Sophia (2012, May). Gender and Development in East African Politics: The Ugandan

Case. University of Texas at San Antonio. Department of Political Science and Geography. 13

Lieberman, Amy. 2016. "New UN Women, Gates Foundation Partnership Takes On Gender

Data". Devex. https://www.devex.com/news/new-un-women-gates-foundation-partnership-

takes-on-gender-data-88795. 14

Bekkering, Michelle, and Matthew Baker. 2016. "Opinion: Why Data Is Key To Gender Parity In

Politics". Devex. https://www.devex.com/news/opinion-why-data-is-key-to-gender-parity-in-

politics-89241. 15

Empowering Women In Political Participation And Leadership | New Tactics In Human Rights".

2015. Newtactics.Org. https://www.newtactics.org/conversation/empowering-women-political-

participation-and-leadership. 16

Empowering Women In Political Participation And Leadership

                                                                                                                         

 

  44  

The changing donor landscape signals a cause for concern for ICRW. ICRW will be

required to adapt and think creatively about how it will fund its research. Alternative

funding approaches explored in this report include private donations from

foundations, private sector partnerships with companies and social enterprises,

and even crowdfunding. Partnerships with international NGOs will also continue to

be beneficial to ICRW, however, it is recommended that ICRW seek partnerships

with Ugandan NGOs in order to build up support on a local level. Given the

government’s recent efforts to restrict NGO activity, donor funds may be scrutinized

more heavily and the existence of strong local connections will aid in easing

ICRW’s work. In some instances, ICRW may be walking a fine line considering that

their research is geared towards advocacy and creating narratives that may

contradict the government’s perspective.

As ICRW finds a balance between its work and the goals of government, it will also

need to maintain a healthy relationship with local government ministries, district

offices, and relevant national ministries, such as the Ministry of Gender, Labour

and Social Development. Ministries focused on gender issues are expected to be

underfunded in the coming years, especially as the government’s focuses in on

infrastructure development. However, this will mean that ICRW’s work could

provided a much needed perspective on these development activities if they are

given the opportunity to offer their expertise.

Other areas which might serve as entry points for ICRW include Northern and

North-Eastern Uganda, women’s political participation, and remittances. Karamoja

is increasingly struggling with food security and related climate change issues while

the North of Uganda has been recovering after the end of the LRA conflict and is

now dealing with the refugee crisis. There are many NGOs working in this space

with various programs which commonly incorporate SBGV prevention, which has

08   Summary of

Implications

 

  45  

been an areas of interest for ICRW. Another theme of interest to ICRW was

women’s economic empowerment, which while more politically sensitive could be

an area in which ICRW works together with local organizations to measure the

impact of their programming. Similarly, women’s economic empowerment could

be researched through remittances. The near doubling of remittances in Uganda

signals their growing importance and also invites organizations like ICRW to

examine how this trend is affecting women. There is little research in Uganda that

studies women’s role in remittances and this gap could be an opportunity for ICRW

to leverage its research capabilities to strengthen its women’s economic

empowerment agenda.

 

  46  

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Annex

 

  51  

Relevant Programs

Description

In addition to providing free legal advice through an online platform,

Barefoot Law travels around the country to provide legal information

sessions and workshops to rural populations.

Activities in

Uganda

Women’s Property Rights Initiative (WPRI):

focuses on equipping women with knowledge and skills regarding

their rights to property. Barefoot Law uses a combination of

approaches including technology, audio-visual and traditional means

to provide legal knowledge and assistance to women, both in rural

and urban areas.

Areas of

Collaboration

WPRI is in its pilot phase and pending further funding from GIZ. ICRW

can help a truly young, innovative and dynamic Ugandan led team to

flesh out their strategy to sustain this program.

M&E Barefoot Law relies on surveys from workshop participants to provide

feedback on activities. No formal M&E structure

Resources www.barefootlaw.org

Level of Influence (1-5): 2 Level of Interest (1-5): 4

Organization

Barefoot Law Plot 1544 Koire Close

Old Kira Rd.    Kampala, Uganda

About

Mission Barefoot Law provides the Ugandan public with free legal information

and assistance using innovative approaches

Size 14+ attorneys and staff

Funding  Partial funding from GIZ

 

  52  

Relevant Programs

Description

A 5 year project funded by a consortium of European countries and

the EU meant to strengthen democratic institutions and good

governance. At the time of meeting DGF was anticipating a second 5

year funding authorization.

Activities in

Uganda

Makes grants to partner organizations throughout the country in a

number of sectors including: Deepening Democracy, Rights Justice

and Peace, and Voice and Accountability

Areas of

Collaboration

Gender mainstreaming, women in government, gender-based

violence and civil rights

Research In house. Occasional outside assistance.

Resources https://www.dgf.ug/

Level of Influence (1-5): 4 Level of Interest (1-5): 3

Organization

Democratic Governance

Facility (DGF)

1st Floor EADB Building

Plot 4 Nile Avenue

P.O.Box 8772 Kampala

About

Mission  The overall  goal of the DGF  is to contribute to  equitable growth,

poverty eradication, rule of law and long term stability  in Uganda.

Size ~100 million euros over 5 years

Funding Funded by eight partners: Austria, Denmark, the EU, Ireland, the

Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

 

  53  

Relevant Programs

Description

In Uganda, Diakonia cooperates with civil society organizations to

promote active citizenship as a means of improving the living status

and living conditions of people living in poverty in Uganda.

Activities in

Uganda

•   The analysis of bills, policies and laws regarding human rights

as a basis for advocacy

•   The empowerment of women and youth as active citizens

economically, culturally and politically

•   Livelihoods as well as psychological and legal support to

survivors of conflict and GBV

•   Building strong and resilient communities, and strengthening

CSOs

•   Information dissemination regarding human rights

Areas of

Collaboration

Although Diakonia only partners with local CSOs, the organization

represents a well-connected partner in areas that are already of

interest to ICRW: programs for victims of GBV, economic

empowerment of women and information dissemination.

M&E Diakonia’s local implementing partners are responsible for M&E.

Resources http://www.diakonia.se/en/Where-we-work/Africa/Uganda/

Level of Influence (1-5): 2 Level of Interest (1-5): 4

Organization

Diakonia 45 Kanjokya St.

Kololo

Kampala, Uganda

About

Mission Diakonia works both in developing and developed countries by using

a participatory approach and a pro-active agenda to alter systems

and structures that generate and maintain poverty.

Funding Uganda office funded by the Swedish government through the

Swedish CSO frame and SIDA.

 

  54  

Relevant Programs

Description

The focus of the Dutch embassy is to maintain strong diplomatic

relations with Uganda and to encourage trade between the two

countries. Justice, rule of law and gender initiatives have been scaled

down.

Activities in

Uganda

•   Programming for transforming subsistence farmers into

commercial agriculture. Hold an annual “Best Farm Competition”

to encourage farming as a business.

•   Drug users program through UNFPA about access to medicine

and commodities that incorporates gender.

•   Reproductive health programming has been scaled down

Areas of

Collaboration

•   Sexual reproductive health for youth

•   Gender-based violence

•   Women’s economic empowerment

•   Reduce fertility rate

M&E M&E is done internally in the embassy due to the small portfolio of

projects.

Resources http://uganda.nlembassy.org/

Level of Influence (1-5): 3 Level of Interest (1-5): 4

Organization

Dutch Embassy Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Rwenzori Courts (4th floor),

Plot 2, Nakasero Road

Kampala, Uganda

About

Mission The Dutch Embassy would like to transition from a donor to Uganda

to a trade and investment partner in Uganda.

Funding The Dutch Embassy relies on direct funding from the Netherlands,

but funding for gender projects is controlled by the ministry.

 

  55  

Relevant Programs

Description

German development agency that implements technical cooperation

projects of the BMZ as well as private sector and other national

organizations. Usually not with NGOs.

Activities in

Uganda

•   GIZ is incorporating governance and the rights of vulnerable

groups and sexual minorities into their principles

•   GIZ develops capacity for evaluation and governance statistics,

and is involved in five development partnerships with the private

sector in Uganda

•   In Karamoja priority areas are: strengthening local disaster

prevention capacities, sustainable management of natural

resources, water for agricultural production, and agro-pastoral

production

•   GIZ’s gender mainstreaming activities address both internal and

external mainstreaming, with possible avenues for trainings of GIZ

and partner staff

Areas of

Collaboration

GIZ gender mainstreaming activities and increasing presence in

northern Uganda provide potential opportunities to partner with ICRW,

although GIZ typically targets the private sector.

Research New areas include analyzing labor in fishing communities and value

chains and how these interventions increase female resilience.

Resources https://www.giz.de/en/worldwide/310.html

Level of Influence (1-5): 5 Level of Interest (1-5): 2

Organization

GIZ GIZ Office Uganda

Plot 23 Nakasero Road/P.O. Box 10346,

Kampala Nakasero Rd, Kampala, Uganda

About

Mission The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and

Development declared Uganda a priority country for development

cooperation, focusing mainly on renewable energy, economic and

rural finance, water, and governance.

Funding The majority of funding comes from the German government.

 

  56  

Relevant Programs

Description

The Hunger Project utilizes an epicenter strategy that aims for

communities to find ways to end their own hunger. The Hunger

Project takes a holistic approach that emphasizes health, nutrition,

education, gender equality, and women’s empowerment.

Activities in

Uganda

When the Hunger Project comes to a village they do workshops so

that households can identify their needs and possible solutions for

themselves. The services and types of knowledge available at the

epicenters are dependent on these workshops.

Areas of

Collaboration

•   Women’s Empowerment

•   Child Marriage

•   Sexual and reproductive health

•   Gender based violence

M&E The Hunger Project generally employs their own M&E practices,

however they do sometimes have external consultants for this work.

Resources http://www.thp.org/our-­‐work/where-­‐we-­‐work/africa/uganda/contact-­‐uganda/

Level of Influence (1-5): 2 Level of Interest (1-5): 5

Organization

The Hunger Project Kisozi Complex, Annex

P. O. Box 26393

Kampala, Uganda

About

Mission The Hunger Project is a global, non-profit, strategic organization

committed to the sustainable end of world hunger.

Size In Uganda, The Hunger Project is active in 11 villages in 9 districts.

Funding All program funding is raised by the 11 donors offices, for the 11

recipient offices, along with some funding from local communities to

encourage local ownership of the epicenters.

 

  57  

Relevant Programs

Description

INGO focused on regions in transition from conflict, including

emergency relief and community resilience. They have initiatives in

Karamoja and the Kenya/Somalia border.

Activities in

Uganda

•   Agriculture & Food: Training farmer groups in business skills to

grow subsistence plots to small-scale commercial farming

operations.

•   Economic development: Providing jobs building roads that link

farms to markets.

•   Health: Promoting maternal-child health and nutrition programs,

including village-level mother groups that encourage healthy

behavior change.

•   Emergency response: Meeting the urgent needs of vulnerable

South Sudanese with cash while supporting local economy and

livelihoods, establishing a cash for work program for both

Ugandans and South Sudanese

Areas of

Collaboration

Mercy Corps usually contracts out their M&E, and they have a girls

resilience livestock program that focuses on improving the

productivity and status of women through asset ownership.

Research New areas include analyzing labor in fishing communities and value

chains and how these interventions increase female resilience

Resources https://www.mercycorps.org/countries/uganda

Level of Influence (1-5): 3 Level of Interest (1-5): 4

Organization

Mercy Corps Nsambya Road

Kabalagala Makindye Division

Kampala, Uganda

About

Mission Improve poverty and food insecurity using community-led and

market-driven approaches in the most vulnerable areas, including

where South Sudanese refugees have been resettled. Help farmers

increase productivity and promote health and nutrition.

Size Revenue streams of about 436 million for the entire organization in

2016 with 87% going to programs.

Funding Majority is from government, multilaterals, and foundations.

 

  58  

Relevant Programs

Description

Norway mostly focus on governance and human rights issues,

working through civil society and with the Uganda Human Rights

Commission.

Activities in

Uganda

Main activities in Uganda are DGF funding, strengthening civil

society as it relates to future Ugandan oil exports. Gender portfolio

through embassy has slowed down, many funds being diverted back

to Norway to deal with refugee crisis.

Areas of

Collaboration

Civil society and oil. Gender mainstreaming and programming if

funding should return to embassy control.

Resources https://www.norway.no/en/uganda

Level of Influence (1-5): 3 Level of Interest (1-5): 3

Organization

Norwegian

Embassy Royal Noregian Embassy of Uganda

Plot 18B, Akii-Bua Road

Kampala, Uganda

About

Mission The Royal Norwegian Embassy in Kampala represents the interests

and advocates the priorities of Norway in Uganda.

Funding Minimal funding travels via the Embassy to local organizations.

NORAD in Oslo handles the large portfolios.

 

  59  

Relevant Programs

Description In Uganda, Oxfam operates mostly in the North with vulnerable

populations, especially women, youth and pastoralists.

Activities in

Uganda

•   Governance and Accountability: focuses on building active

citizenship, around taxes and budgeting, extractives, and women

leadership

•   Resilient Livelihoods: focuses on promoting land and seed rights

for women and pastoralists, private sector engagement, climate

change adaptation, youth employment, GBV and unpaid care

work for women

•   Humanitarian Response: focuses on preparedness, humanitarian

capacity building and emergency response (emphasis on water

and sanitation, gender and protection of women and children)

Areas of

Collaboration

Oxfam’s programs present a large emphasis on women and girls but

especially: active citizenship around extractives, land rights, private

sector engagement, GBV and unpaid work for women, protection of

women and children in humanitarian context.

M&E M&E is mostly done in house by pulling resources from within the

Oxfam confederation. Peer reviews are done by external evaluators.

Resources https://www.mercycorps.org/countries/uganda

Level of Influence (1-5): 4 Level of Interest (1-5): 5

Organization

Oxfam Uganda Plot 3459

Tank Hill Rd.

Muyenga

Kampala, Uganda

About

Mission Oxfam’s rights-based approach to development focuses its

programs and advocacy on populations affected by conflict

Size Uganda office: USD 9.5 Million for FY 2015/2016

Funding •   Outside Funders: 60-70% (mainly through DFID)

•   Fundraising done through donor country offices: 30-40%

 

  60  

Relevant Programs

Description

“The vision of PACE is to be an innovative, efficient, results-oriented

organization that works towards realizing a community of Ugandans

empowered to sustain healthy behaviour and a significant contributor

to Ministry of Health priority health areas including, but not limited

to, HIV/AIDS, malaria, child health and reproductive health.”

Activities in

Uganda

•   Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene

•   Contraception

•   Malaria Prevention

•   HIV/AIDS

Areas of

Collaboration Sexual based violence, Women’s health, Gender Mainstreaming

M&E In house, and in collaboration with outside organizations as dictated

by donors.

Resources http://www.psi.org/country/uganda/#about

Level of Influence (1-5): 4 Level of Interest (1-5): 5

Organization

PACE Uganda Plot 3, Mackenzie Vale, Kololo

P.O.Box 27659, Kampala, Uganda

About

Mission PACE promotes products, services and healthy behaviors that enable

low-income and vulnerable communities to lead healthier lives.

Funding USAID, DFID, CDC, NORAD, UNICEF, and others

 

  61  

Relevant Programs

Description

Pathfinder partners with local governments, communities, and health

systems to remove barriers to critical sexual and reproductive health

services.

Activities in

Uganda

•   Connect communities and health systems so that people have

access to contraceptive services and quality health care

•   Insure that the local health systems have a full range of

contraceptive methods available so individuals have a choice

•   Work with communities to reduce gender inequality

Areas of

Collaboration

•   Maternal & Newborn Health

•   Safe Abortion Care

•   HIV & AIDS

•   Contraception & Family Planning

•   Adolescents and Youth

M&E

5-10% of funding is spent on M&E. Pathfinder is able to do their

own M&E, but may require outside evaluators depending on the

stipulations of the grant.

Resources http://www.pathfinder.org/countries/uganda/

Level of Influence (1-5): 3 Level of Interest (1-5): 5

Organization

Pathfinder

International Pathfinder International

30B, Plot 15 Impala Ave

Kampala, Uganda

About

Mission Pathfinder champions sexual and reproductive health and rights

worldwide, mobilizing communities most in need to break through

barriers and forge their own path to a healthier future.

Size Revenue streams for 2016 were about 130 million USD with 89%

used for program services.

Funding 80% of their funding comes from USAID federal grants, 10% from

foundations, and the remaining 10% from private sources. They are

looking to diversify and strengthen funding streams.

 

  62  

Relevant Programs

Description

Sweden aims to strengthen the respect for human rights in Uganda,

enhance the local population's opportunities to make a living and to

obtain improved health as well as freedom from violence.

Activities in

Uganda

The 2014/18 strategy has been earmarked 1 350 million SEK to:

•   Strengthened democracy and gender equality, greater respect for

human rights and freedom from oppression

•   Better opportunities for people living in poverty to contribute to

and benefit from economic growth and obtain a good education

•   Improved basic health

•   Safeguarding human security and freedom from violence

•   Sweden also supports the development of Uganda’s domestic

research capacity with 210 million SEK over 4.5 years

Areas of

Collaboration

The Swedish Embassy has a research program that needs gender

mainstreaming support.

Research

The Swedish Research Cooperation was initiated in 2000 to

strengthen research capacity at five public universities in Uganda in

partnership with 11 universities in Sweden.

Resources http://www.swedenabroad.com/en-GB/Embassies/Kampala/About-

us/About-the-Embassy/

Level of Influence (1-5): 4 Level of Interest (1-5): 5

Organization

Swedish Embassy Swedish Embassy Uganda

24 Lumumba Ave

Nakasero Road

Kampala, Uganda

About

Mission The Embassy of Sweden in Kampala has a broad mandate to

promote Swedish-Ugandan relations through political dialogue,

development cooperation, trade and investment

Size Swedish Aid to Uganda is 39.5 million USD.

Funding The Swedish Embassy relies on direct funding from Sweden